How to make pizza dough

by Rebecca Khatri

How to make Pizza dough

Making pizza at home is not at all a difficult task. Well, it all depends upon whether you’re making the pizza dough at home or buying the pizza base from outside. I always prefer home-made pizza dough for making pizza. First of all, we’re not sure what kind of ingredients would go in the pizza base that we procure from outside. We can prepare the pizza dough and refrigerate it for 2 to 3 days or we can even freeze the pizza dough for up to a month.

If you plan to refrigerate the dough, simply place the dough in a container which is sprayed with non-stick oil. Use the same procedure if you’re looking at freezing the dough, except that the dough needs to be thawed for about 30 minutes to bring it back to the room temperature( for the dough that had been kept in freezer).

Ingredients used for making pizza dough

Instant Yeast-2 ½ teaspoons

Warm water- 1/2 cup

Olive Oil – 2 tablespoons

Bread flour (Maida) – 4 cups

Salt to taste.

Non-stick spray

Method of preparation

Add yeast to the bowl containing warm water and, whisk together for some time. Add olive oil to the bowl containing active yeast.

Now add flour and salt in a food processor. Also add yeast mixture to the food processor and process the same to a dough consistency. Keep adding water till you achieve the consistency you are looking at for your dough. For right consistency, the dough should be smooth and elastic.

As mentioned above, you have the option of either refrigerating or freezing the dough, depending upon how frequently you are going to use it. If you’re using the dough immediately, the dough can be used as it is.

If using within a couple of days, to refrigerate, place the dough in a bowl sprayed with nonstick oil, and then cover the dough with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise till it has almost doubled in size because of the yeast action. It takes 2 hours for the dough to almost double because of yeast effect. If you are freezing the dough, the dough (which has expanded) would have to be kneaded further, in a floured surface, for about 30 seconds before putting it into the freezer covering it with a closed plastic lid.

For making pizza, preheat the oven to 450 degree Fahrenheit for about 12 minutes. Grease the pizza pan. Take the dough out from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature (as mentioned above). Now spread the pizza dough on the pizza pan evenly. Brush the top of the dough with some olive oil to help prevent it from getting soggy because of the toppings you are going to place on top of it. just sprinkle some corn flour on to it. (even corn flour helps in absorbing water content from the toppings put on top of it).

Spread 1/3rd cup of tomato sauce over the flattened dough. Spread 1/3rd cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Now add the desired diced/chopped toppings of your choice (could be olives, jalapenos, baby corn, corn, bell peppers, mushrooms, chicken, steak, paneer, onions etc). Spread remaining 1/3rd cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the toppings and put it in the oven for baking. Bake it for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the crust is brown and the cheese turns golden brown.Take out the freshly baked pizza and spread oregano on top of it or to make it more spicy, add some chilly flakes.

Now you can cut the pizza into wedges and serve!

Try making the pizza dough at home rather than buying the pizza base from outside.